Promoting the industry ~ Focused on Members Success
Promoting the industry ~ Focused on Members Success
"PrintForce" A PICA Foundation Workforce Development Initiative for the Next Millennium
The very worn cliche, "necessity is the mother of invention," is appropriate here. In a period of virtually full employment it becomes necessary to deal with an issue as old as printing itself. Most people have come to their careers in printing by accident. Today this accidental source is insufficient in both quantity and quality. The industry is as technical as any, more so than many, and yet still a custom business, and customer centered. This describes an employment demand for high capacities in both personal and technical attributes. PICA has acknowledged that nothing less than a formal and full-blown approach is required. This is the short story behind the Workforce Development Initiative, called PrintForce.
The initial three components include:
A fourth component must be added to the original initiatives if PrintForce is to succeed in the long run.
With an aging population of educators and no existing source, it quickly became imperative that "teacher development" had to become an inherent part of this overall initiative. Everyone agrees that the quality of the classroom program is almost exclusively determined by the qualities of the teacher. A concept proposal has been prepared to communicate the details.
PrintEd certification is the responsibility of each school. The structure is in place. PrintForce is needed to expedite this process, providing assistance to removal of barriers including administrative, financial and other realities costing time. PrintEd is not an assurance of quality in education, but rather a tool which raises potential and stimulates other positive actions. There will be numerous other teachers and curriculum related activities to provide energy for continuous improvement. PrintForce must be used as a tool by educators to elevate their own skills and programs.
Career Awareness is a key component and is enormous in scope. The education professionals who touch all students need to be reached. These include counselors, administrators and other teachers, especially those in areas of art and journalism and those who work on the yearbook staff. A field test conducted during the Charlotte Show demonstrated the potential of special career centered events. The March 12 experience proved that the career opportunities in the printing industry are actually very attractive to a broad cross section of educators. Such events are needed in communities throughout the Carolinas. Similar efforts must be carried out to reach parents and ultimately the students themselves. Substantial staff focus must be directed to these efforts.
Other career awareness activities will include summer day camps in the schools and science and art museums. Junior Achievement also offers potential for career awareness activities. Local industry volunteers will be a critical component of the successful achievements in all career-oriented activities.
Continuing Education is an ongoing responsibility of PICA. As part of the PrintForce initiative increased offerings must be developed to advance the careers of the technical workforce. The two-year community colleges are seen as the greatest potential resource for such activities. PrintForce must do the lead work to develop this potential to deliver high quality training and education so people at various stages in their careers will have the services to raise their skills and knowledge as required to advance up their career ladders. While the colleges and programs are in place, the offerings are not. Along with needs analysis, course development and marketing, there will have to be commitment from the industry to supply top quality instructors to conduct such courses.
These four major components represent an encompassing effort centering on better employees for a better future for the industry. The rate of progress will depend on the rate of investment by the Carolina printers and suppliers. The employers who print on packaging and other materials in the industrial segments of the Carolinas must be adopted as part of this force since they have the same needs and will be equally served by the impact of PrintForce. Reasonable investments by all having interests to be served will assure benefits to all, especially the young people who come to the industry by choice, rather than by accident as in the past.
